Old:

• Response [Once per game]: After your attack deals damage, gain all abilities on your rival’s character for the rest of the game. This ability cannot be canceled.

New:

• Response [Once per game]: After your attack deals damage, gain all Blitz, Enhance, Form, and Response abilities printed on your rival’s character for the rest of the game. This ability cannot be canceled.

Monoma has been a thorn in the side of the Design Team for years now. Constantly having to rule on what happens with him when UVS introduces new mechanics like transform has finally proven… well, unnecessary. Not to mention the Retro format. They’ve drawn the line and limited what he can do as to not break the game as we grow into the future.

The REAL NEWS is that this almost assuredly states we will be seeing Bertolt Hoover, Living Weapon in his current form at Nationals and Worlds. This seems to be a tradition at this point, letting the big bad of the format walk up to Nats and see if the player base can bring them to their knees. In 2022, Ojiro II was left to his own devices are was swiftly destroyed by Tokoyami. Last year, Overhaul took his shot and dominated Nationals taking home the trophy.

We won’t have the opportunity to see much from Origins of Power ahead of the most vital events of the year. Take the theoretical meta killer to the biggest stage? Or play what you know? It’ll be an interesting decision most players make. I predict much of the field won’t have much experience with meta Bertolt before January, and will have trouble picking him up and taking him down. Most will underestimate his ability to draw into attack after attack or misplay lines to allowing him to transform. We’ll be talking more about the vaunted Big Bad later on. Until then, I’ll see you on the tables!